Overview

Arthritis and joint pain affect nearly 40 million Americans Ė 1
out of every seven people. Osteoarthritis, the most common form,
affects over 20 million, and is rapidly catching up to heart
disease as the most common condition that can be prevented or
lessened by good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Research
into the fields of bone and joint health have challenged the
long-held belief that arthritis and joint pain were an
unavoidable effect of aging. On the contrary, many researchers
now believe that diet and regular exercise can reduce bone and
joint deterioration substantially, and may be the most effective
ways to combat arthritis and joint pain.

What
Causes Arthritis and Joint Pain:

Arthritis and joint
pain is caused by inflammation in the joints Ė the places where
two or more bones meet. Wherever two bones meet, the joint is
cushioned by cartilage, a softer tissue. Over the years, wear
and tear on the cartilage lead to its deterioration. This can be
exacerbated by injury or disease that damages the cartilage, and
by poor diet that doesnít provide all the nutrients needed for
rebuilding healthy cartilage when itís damaged. As the cartilage
deteriorates, the bones rub against each other causing
inflammation and pain.

While doctors
understand the mechanics that cause the joint pain and
inflammation that accompanies arthritis, they are less certain
of why some people develop arthritis as they age and others
donít. The risk factors that theyíve implicated in the
development of arthritis and joint pain include

Heredity, which
seems to be a factor in about 25% of all cases of arthritis

Obesity, which
puts undue stress on the joints of the knees, hips, back and
feet. There may also be a nutritional factor contributing to
the risks for arthritis associated with obesity.

Injury to the
joints which damages cartilage and results in arthritis
years later

Virus or
bacteria may trigger rheumatoid arthritis

Excess uric
acid contributes to inflammation and joint pain in the third
most common form of arthritis, gout.

Arthritis and
joint pain can be worsened by lack of movement. Just like
muscles that atrophy through lack of use, joints can become
stiffer and more painful if they are not regularly
exercised.

Symptoms of Arthritis and Joint Pain:

The symptoms of
arthritis include inflammation around the joints, joint
tenderness, swelling and pain. Arthritis and joint pain most
often affects the fingers, hips, knees back and neck, but it may
affect other joints as well. Arthritis and joint pain caused by
the various forms of arthritis can make it difficult or
impossible to perform simple, everyday tasks like writing,
opening bottles and jars, walking up or down stairs and other
activities that involve the painful joints.

Treatments for Arthritis and Joint Pain:

Traditional medical treatment for arthritis and joint pain
involves the use of anti-inflammatory medications and pain
relievers, surgery and the injection of hyaluronic acid into the
affected joint. In addition, many doctors also recommend
moderate, gentle exercise to keep the joints from stiffening
further. While pain medication has been an accepted treatment
for arthritis and joint pain for years, the recent recall of the
prescription pain reliever Vioxx have raised some serious
questions about the safety of those pain relievers. While people
have always turned to alternative and complementary medicine for
possible treatment of arthritis and joint pain, itís only in
recent years that the medical establishment in the United States
has begun to look seriously at the possible use of nutritional
supplements and diet to prevent and treat arthritis and joint
pain.

Two
supplements that seem to hold the most promise for the treatment
of arthritis and joint pain are glucosamine and chondroitin.
Both are substances that occur naturally in the body.
Glucosamine is a form of glucose that is believed to play a role
in the repair and building of cartilage tissue. Chondroitin is a
part of a protein molecule that gives cartilage its elasticity.
Widely reported research studies have shown that people who take
chondroitin and glucosamine in supplement form report less joint
pain and swelling, and in some studies, the combination of
chondroitin and glucosamine has also seemed to slow the
deterioration of cartilage. The Arthritis Foundation suggests
trying the supplements along with current medications for six to
eight weeks to see if they provide relief for arthritis and
joint pain.

Meanwhile, the National Center for Alternative and Complementary
Medicine, an arm of the National Institutes of Health, announced
on October 14 (2005) that it will fund a new Center for
Arthritis and Traditional Chinese Medicine to study the effects
of Chinese herbal medicine on arthritis. Other natural
supplements and herbs that are being considered for the relief
of arthritis and joint pain are

SAMe
(S- adenosylmethionine) has had positive effects on reducing
inflammation and joint pain in a number of small studies. In
a review of studies using SAMe that involved over 20,000
people, SAMe proved more beneficial than ibuprofen or
aspirin in decreased joint pain, reduced swelling, less
morning stiffness and increased range of mobility.

Omega 3 fatty acids may benefit people with rheumatoid and
other inflammatory forms of arthritis and joint pain. In one
study, omega 3 fatty acid derived from the New Zealand green
lipped muscle improved the symptoms of 40% of the study
participants.

Bromelain, a substance derived from pineapple, has natural
pain relieving properties, and reduces pain more effectively
than ibuprofen and aspirin, with fewer side effects.

Vitamin D, which prevents the breakdown of cartilage, and
vitamins A, C, E and B3 have all been associated with lower
levels of pain and inflammation in people with
osteoarthritis. In one study, participants who took 600
milligrams daily of vitamin E experienced significantly less
arthritis and joint pain than those taking a prescription
pain reliever. In another study, participants receiving
supplements of vitamin B3 reported 30% improvement on their
conditions. Those taking a placebo in that study reported a
10% worsening.

Avocado and soybean extracts reportedly reduced pain and
level of disability and increased range of motion in study
participants who took them in supplement form for six
months.

The
research results of various studies are making it increasingly
clear that the disabling effects of inflammatory arthritis and
joint pain are not the inevitable results of aging. Rather, when
the body is provided with the nutrients that it needs to
lubricate joints and rebuild cartilage, it can and does begin to
heal itself. The result is reduced arthritis and joint pain.

Both the
NIH and the FDA caution that dietary supplements are not
standardized, or overseen by any government body. Because
standards compliance is voluntary and up to the manufacturer of
a particular supplement, they caution, itís important to
purchase nutritional supplements from a company that is
responsible and accountable for the products it sells.

Xtend-Life Natural Products, a New Zealand maker of
nutritional supplements, maintains their own research and
development company to ensure that all their products work
together synergistically and completely. Their product for
arthritis and joint pain relief,Arthrit-Eze
, combines chondroitin, glucosamine, SAMe and 28
other ingredients that have been shown effective in helping
build bone and cartilage. As a show of faith,
Xtend-Life Natural Products shares their own technical research and their
reasoning for including many of the ingredients in
Arthrit-Eze to better help consumers understand their
condition and how to help control arthritis and joint pain that
is affecting their lives.